Apparatus for making wheels



Aug. 24, 1926. f 1,597,223

J. H. WAGENHORST l APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEELS Filed Feb. 19, 1920 af Z0.IIIIIIHI llllr f? 1 lum lll!! m '/o /0 www Patented ng. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. WAGENHOYRST, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

APIEARATUS FOR MAKING WHEELS.

Applicationfiled February This invention relates generally to Wheelscomprising a metal felly and wooden spokes and more particularly to theapparatus for making such wheels. f

The object of the invention is to provide a simple machine for fixingthe spokes within the inet-al felly without disturbing the truecircularity thereof.

lith these objects in view, the invention consists in the detailed stepsand the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described andthen pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a viewpartly in section and partly in elevation illustrating my method, andalso one embodiment of apparatus for carrying out said method. Y

Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner of arranging the spokes in staggeredrelation to kprevent crushing of their edges, Fig. 3 is a view showingsuch spokes pressed into final position, and Fig. 4l is an enlargedfragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing the co-.operation of oneof the guiding` notches with the outer end of a spoke.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a suitable stand or frame 10having a central hollow standard in which is arranged a yieldable spokesupport 11, saidsupport being normally held raised by means of a helicalspring 12 contained Within the bottom otsaid support. y

The stand 10 has a felly holding ring 13 arranged thereon andthis ringcan be sized and shaped to receive the felly 14; therein as shown inFig. 1, or it can be sized and shaped to receive the telly thereabout asshown at 15 in Figs. 2 and 3.

The telly is always heated so as to expand lthe same considerably andthe felly can also be expanded by other methods.

The expanded felly 14 is placed within the ring 13 and the spokes 16 arearranged with their inner mitered ends upon the head 17 of the support11, and the tenons of the spokes are insertedin sockets 18 the felly. Y

li plunger 19 isV then forced down by a piston 2O operating in a fluidpressure cylinder 21. and this plunger forces the inner ends of spokesdownwardly and the support 11 yields by compressing the spring and thespokes are forced into the true plane of the wheel, the downwardmovement of the support being limited by a collar 22 contacting punched.in

19, i920. serial No. 359,936.

with a stop ring 23A arranged upon the stand. The collar is adjustableto accommodate dilerent thicknesses oll spokes.

The ring 13 holds the felly against mis shapement, or distortion whilethe spokes are being forced into the wheel plane. The rim being expandedby heat or otherwise, it will require very 'little pressure to force thespokes into the wheel plane.

The plunger is then raised, the wheel removed and the felly permitted tocool, and when cooled it will shrink perceptibly and place all of thespokes under uniform radial compression and provide a perfectly tightwheel. y

`In Figs. 2 and 3 the head 2L of the spoke support is of notched orcastellated formation as shown, that is therev are alternating raisedand depressed surfaces and 25a, upon which the mitered ends of thespokes are placed and in this way the spokes are arranged staggered sothat in forcing the mitercd ends together the tendency to crush or chipoff the edges of the initers will be reduced to a minimum.

W'ith this construction the lower edges of the mi'tered sides of thehigher spokes, that is those supported on surfaces 25 of member 24,contact with the mitered sides of the lower' spokes which rest in thenotches 25, and each of the higher spokes tends to force the lowerspokeswith which it contacts apart from each other as the higer spoke isdepressed, all of the mitered spoke ends being placed under compressionas the higher spokes and the member 24 are forced downwardly under theaction of the member 19, Vand the extension of the member 19 enteringthe central opening between the spoke ends insures uniform radialpositioning of the inner ends of the spokes.

The plunger is constructed and operated exactly the same as previously7described.

The felly 14; is placed about the ring 15 and snuglylits said ring andconsequently no distortion of said felly can take place. The ring may beprovided. with radial notches 26 to serve as guides in placing thespokes inthe felly.

l/Vhen the parts of the machine are in the positionshown in Fig. 2, anda elly has been positioned upon the support as shown,

the spokes may be quickly moved to the position shown in such figure,since the operator may, without particular care, engage the tenon end ofa spoke in one of the grooves 26 and as the mitered end of the spoke islowered toward its place on member 15 the tenen end of the spoke willskid outwardly in its groove 26 to its proper position rela tive to thefelly.

Vhen the plunger is forced down it carries the spokes and follower downwith it and the mitered ends of the spokes contact with a centrallyarranged stop ring 27 and the continued pressure forces the support downuntil all of the spokes have been brought into the true wheel plane asshown in 3. The plunger is then raised and the wheel removed.

It will thus be seen that I provide a simple method of making a wheel ofthe character described and also a simple and efficient machine formaking the same according to said method.

By using a heated or otherwise expanded felly very little pressure isrequired, and by' the provision of proper holding rings, the felly willbe kept to true circular form and held against distortion.

It will be understood that the machine described may be used to formwheels in which the felly may be of any desired shape in cross-section,the word felly being intended to include arim or any other continuousperipheral band.

Certain features shown and described in this application, but notclaimed therein, are described and claimed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 360,804, filed February 24, 1920. The methoddisclosed in thisapplication is described and claimed in my co,- pending applicationSerial No. 88,845, filed February 17, 1926.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a frame, acentrally arranged yieldable spoke support, said support being ofcastellated formation, a felly holding ring arranged upon said frame andadapted to hold a felly VagainstV distortion, means for forcing saidspoke support downwardly and means for limiting the downward movement ofsaid forcing means.

2. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a support, a ringarranged thereon with which an endless felly is adapt- Y ed to contact,.said ring being adapted to prevent distortion of said felly and havinga plurality of radial guide notches, a centrally disposed'radiallynotched yieldable spoke support for supporting the inner ends ofthespokes, means for depressing the spokes and central support, andmeans for `limiting the downward movement of said depressing means.

8. In a machine for making wheels, the

combination -of a support having an annular ange thereon adapted toreceive and hold a metal felly from distortion, depressable means forsupporting the inner ends of a plurality of spokes alternately atgreater and less distances above said support, said flange having meansfor guiding the outer ends of the spokes, and means for forcing theinner ends of said spokes toward said support while the felly is held bysaid flange against distortion.

4. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a support, meanson said support for positioning a felly thereon, a member mounted formovement axially of said positioning means, said member being radiallynotched for supporting the inner ends of certain of a series of spokesat a given distance above said support and the inner ends of otherspokes at a different distance above said support, and means for forcingthe inner ends of the spokes toward said support.

5. In a wheel-making machine the combination of a support adapted toreceive a felly, means thereon for preserving the concentricity of thefelly, a depressable support adapted to support the inner ends of thespokes above the wheel plane, said supports having circumferentiallyspaced notches engaging the inner and outer ends of the spokesforretaining them preliminarily in the proper radial planes, and means forforcing the inner ends of the spokes downwardly into the plane of thewheel. Y

6. In a wheel-making machine, the combination of a support adapted toreceive a felly, a depressable plunger adapted to support the inner endsof spokes, the spoke-supporting portion of said plunger being notched sothat certain of the spokes are supported at greater inclinations thanother spokes, a ram adapted to engage the inner ends of the mostelevated spokes to depress the plunger, and a stop adapted to engage thelower faces of the inner portions of the spokes, as they approach thewheel plane, and coacting with said ram to bring all the spokes into acommon plane.

7. In a machine for making wheels, the combination with a support havingan annular abutment thereon adapted to receive and hold a metal rim fromdistortion, means for supporting the inner ends of a plurality of spokesat different distances above said support, `and means forv forcing theinner ends of said spokes toward said support while the rim is held bysaid abutment against distortion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto my signature.

Jaimesv H. wAGENHoRsT.

